Council chambers, image via RMWB.ca
FORT McMURRAY — Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council has approved additional funding for several local non-profit groups following recommendations from a review panel examining the latest Community Investment Program grants.
Council approved $542,775 from the municipality’s Emerging Issues Reserve to support five organizations that were previously denied funding, deemed ineligible or only partially funded during the initial 2026 Community Investment Program adjudication.
Municipal officials say the decision follows a review of applications conducted by a special panel established by council in February.
The panel examined 43 applications from the most recent funding cycle and confirmed most of the original decisions made by the Community Investment Program Approval Committee, while recommending changes to five submissions.
The approved funding includes $100,000 for King’s Kids Promotions Outreach Ministries, $25,000 for the Nigerian Canadian Association of Fort McMurray and $47,775 for Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron 868 under the Community Impact Grant stream.
Additional funding was also approved for Markaz Ul-Islam Congregation of Fort McMurray, which will receive an extra $320,000 through the Community Sustaining Grant program, and for the Fort McMurray Golden Years Society, which will receive an additional $50,000 under the Community Impact stream.
The latest allocations follow the municipality’s December announcement of the 2026 Community Investment Program results, which approved 44 grant applications totalling $7.5 million across several funding categories including community impact, sustaining, capital and games legacy grants.
The review panel’s work is continuing as members examine potential changes to the program, including recommendations outlined in a Deloitte review. Those discussions include the possible creation of a new operating grant stream and options for an appeal process in future funding cycles.
The Community Investment Program provides funding to non-profit organizations supporting recreation, arts and culture, social services, sports and community events across the municipality.
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